


Long for the Next Distraction

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, M/M, tw: needles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 05:21:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18276617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Alec donates blood even though he hates needles, and it definitely has nothing to do with the attractive guy from the Pride group handing out the flyers. But a good distraction will surely get him through it...





	Long for the Next Distraction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blasphemous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blasphemous/gifts).



> Based off [this tweet](http://twitter.com/cardanscrown/status/1106226787657371654?s=21), and dedicated to Yara for their birthday because they always tosses out great prompts and theories and is always a lot of fun to follow and interact with! <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY YARA!

“Blood drive, hosted by Pride! This Friday, noon to four, outside the East Commons!”

Alec normally avoids eye contact with the people on campus with clipboards and flyers but the guy in front of him is the sort who demands attention. His tight black jeans, black and red shirt, and the matching red streak through his hair look more put together than Alec has felt in his entire life. And once he makes the accidental eye contact the guy smiles at him, and the color that rises high on Alec’s cheeks matches all of those accents.

“Coming to the blood drive Friday?” He holds a flyer out to Alec and Alec hesitates just a moment before taking it from him - noticing the black polish on his nails and too many intricate rings to take in at a glance.

Alec is suddenly very aware of the faded gray sweatpants and letterman jacket he’s wearing from his high school, and the rough calluses of his hands that brush against the impossibly smooth skin of the guy handing him the flyer.

Underneath the basic date/time/place of the event are a number of facts and statistics which focus on the percentage of Americans banned from donating blood simply because they’re men who have sex with other men, and other disparities between the national blood shortage and the restrictions keeping an entire willing subsection from helping. It isn’t just for a good cause - it’s to raise awareness, too. These are the sorts of things he wants to get involved in one day… when he can casually admit to more than just Jace and Isabelle that he’s gay, that is. He isn’t hiding it anymore, and that alone is a huge step for him. He simply isn’t broadcasting it, either.  He remembers a day not too long ago where he would’ve take one look at the flyer and dropped it like even being associated with holding it might ruin him, and something warms in him at the very positive shift in his life since the start of this year.

“Sure,” Alec says immediately. He hadn’t really thought about it before now, but with any luck in his college dating life this might be his last chance to donate blood for a long, long while. Not that he’s going to say that out loud, but he wants to help while he can.

The blonde next to Alec raises an eyebrow. “What are you--” but falls silent as Alec ‘accidentally’ hits him in the side with his elbow when he brings his arm back in from taking the flyer.

“We’ll be there,” Alec repeats, his words taking on a pointed tone as he side-eyed Jace.

“I’ll see you Friday then-” The guy’s eyes dart down to a space on the chest of Alec’s jacket where his name is carefully stitched in gold thread, before turning back up to his face with a smile. “-Alec.”

Alec gives a slightly flustered nod and smiles back, starting to walk away with Jace following close behind.

“Alec, you hate needles.” Jace points out. “The last time you needed a shot-”  
  
“Shut up,” Alec cuts him off. “That was forever ago, I’ll be fine. Plus, it’s for a good cause.”

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.” Alec can hear the smirk in Jace’s tone before he even looks over. “I’m sure the _cause_ is the only reason you’re going.”

“Oh, look, it’s that cute redhead from Econ!” Alec says suddenly, and Jace stops walking to whip his head around in every direction.

“What? Where?!” He frowns when he realizes Alec is just messing with him. “Alright, point taken. Let’s just grab dinner and I’ll stop giving you a hard time about blood guy.”

“...we’re not calling him that.” Alec decides immediately, turning left to head to the dining hall with a small smile he’s careful to hide from Jace.

\---

When Alec shows up on Friday he isn’t sure if more of him is hoping Magnus _will_ be there, or hoping he _won’t_. He only met the guy once, hardly enough for even a proper crush, but it’s the first time he felt those butterflies in his stomach over someone since he reached a place in his life he could - theoretically - do something about it. Of course he’s always been a disaster when it comes to flirting, so it’d probably be better if they just never crossed paths again.

There’s also the small fact that Jace bailed on him at the last minute, and doing this alone isn’t exactly something Alec’s looking forward to. In fact, maybe it’s a sign, and he really should just head back to his dorm and get some extra revisions done on his paper. That’d be safer for everyone…

Which is not at all what the fates have in mind for him that day. Once Alec spots the same spiked-up hair and smile he remembers from the other day it’s too late to turn around.  

“You came!” The guy says, practically beaming. “Alec, right?”

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Alec points out, unable to help a too-wide smile in return. His energy really is infectious. “And yeah, it’s Alec. I don’t think I caught your name, though…” he says, obviously inviting the information.

“Magnus. The pleasure’s mine, I’m sure.” Magnus shifts the stack of flyers he’s holding to his left hand to reach his right out to shake Alec’s. His nails are a deep crimson today to match the highlights in his hair, Alec notices. When Alec brings his gaze back up from Magnus’ hands he finds Magnus staring rather intently at his eyes, and Magnus doesn’t look away when Alec catches him doing it, either. A faint blush rises in Alec’s cheeks for the second time in as many encounters with Magnus and he makes quick work of the handshake and turns his gaze to the side.

There’s a table set up with flyers, stickers, pins, and a donation jar to support the group. Alec doesn’t hesitate to reach into his pocket and pull out a $20 to toss inside even though he doesn’t take anything. It’s the only cash on him but he isn’t hurting for money, and he’d only blow it on lattes from the overpriced place on campus anyway. 

“Wow, thanks! Sure you don’t want something?” Another guy manning the table with dark brown hair and glasses offers, but Alec shakes his head.

“No, thanks. I don’t really--” he starts, but hesitates, not sure how to say what he wants to say without it coming out all wrong.

“Hey, say no more, that’s cool! We always welcome the support of allies.”  
  
“Oh, I’m not an ally,” Alec says instinctively as he moves away from the table.  

“Oh,” Magnus says, sounding deflated. It isn’t until Alec sees the face Magnus makes that he stops to think about how that sounded.

“Shit, no, I don’t mean--” Alec stutters out, not sure how this could possibly get any worse. So with that in mind he takes a quick glance around before finally managing, “I mean, I’m gay.” It’s a work in progress, saying it out loud as a statement rather than a secret, but he’s getting there.

“Oh!” Magnus repeats, in a much different tone this time around.

“Just not, you know…” Alec glances at the display on the table. “...I’m just not quite at rainbow bumper-stickers yet.” His voice is quiet and he averts his gaze to his sneakers, studying them very intently until Magnus speaks again.

“No judgment here. Really, it’s cool.” Magnus obviously picks up on the anxiety Alec was feeling about the admission and the reassurances are enough to bring Alec’s attention back to the reason he’s here in the first place, which he almost forgot after everything else.

Magnus steps a little closer, holding out one of the flyers from the other day with the facts on them. “You do know that there are regulations against donating. If you’ve… been active lately.” Magnus doesn’t look embarrassed to talk about it, though he’s doing his best to be quiet and discreet so it isn’t a _thing_ for passersby to overhear.

Alec realizes what he’s hinting at and nods, praying that he doesn’t sound as pathetic as he feels. “I know. I haven’t quite, uh, gotten _there_ yet, either.” He’s suddenly regretting everything that drove him to show up here today, because the last thing he wants to be doing is discussing is lack of a sex life with the hot flyer guy.

“Hey, no judgement there, either,” Magnus repeats with that easy smile back on his face.  “Just didn’t want you to be wasting your time. A lot of people don’t realize until they’re filling out the questionnaire.”

Alec nods again, wishing he had something to say that wasn’t prolonged and increasingly awkward silence on his end while he waits for the person already talking to the donation crew to finish filling their form out. Thankfully, Magnus picks up the slack.

“You didn’t bring your blonde friend?” Magnus asks, and Alec shakes his head and hides the flicker of a frown that crosses his features, trying not to give away how nervous he is to be there alone.

“No, he got held up after class,” Alec shrugs, but bites down on the corner of his lower lip a little.

The lady at the door of the donation van motions for them to come over and Magnus nods that way, walking Alec over to the door and following him inside to continue talking to him just a bit longer.

“You alright?” Magnus asks, catching the way Alec rubs at the back of his neck once they’re inside the van. Alec wonders if he looks as anxious as he suddenly feels.

“Yeah, I”m fine! Never better.” Obviously forced, too excited. Alec is trying too hard and if Magnus doesn’t notice the lab technician certainly does.

“This isn’t your first time giving blood, is it?” The woman in the lab coat asks as she makes her way over to him with the standard form to fill out on a tablet.  

“No,” Alec says, and that much is casual and confident because it isn’t a lie. He just leaves out the fact that every time ended with him on the floor, if not during the process then immediately after.

“Well then, you know the drill. Just fill this out and we’ll get going.” The tech smiles at him.  

Magnus looks back towards the door, fidgeting with the flyers in his hands. He has the look of someone who knows he should probably go and Alec realizes he stopped bringing in new volunteers to linger and talk with him.

But Alec doesn’t want him to leave again, especially not as he looks at the needle attached to a tube just a few feet away, eyes widening slightly.

“Do you want me to stay?” Magnus asks, but Alec shakes his head. Needing someone to hold his hand while he donates blood isn’t the first impression he wants to make.

“No, I’m fine,” Alec insists, making his way over to the chair in the far corner of the van. The tech pulls out the needle and gives it a tap, and that’s all it takes.

Alec’s vision starts to spin, the edges going black as his breathing comes in short, sharp gasps, and he sways. Alec doesn’t have time to react before he feels his knees go weak underneath him and the room goes black.

\--------

The flyers flutter to the ground at his feet the instant Magnus sees Alec start to sway. He’s next to Alec in an instant, arms outstretched to catch him the best he can. Mostly he softens the fall, allowing Alec to tumble into him before backing them against the wall to brace himself. Alec’s body slumps against his chest and Magnus can’t keep his grip, only managing to let him slide down to the floor as gently as possible.

“Let’s get him to a bed,” the tech suggests, moving to help Magnus carry him over to one of two makeshift beds for just-in-case scenarios like this. Alec’s legs dangle over the edge but at least it’s better than nothing.  

“I’ll get some water and crackers for when he wakes up,” Magnus says, thinking of the food he has in his backpack outside.

“We have the juice and food for the donors right over there,” the tech points out. “It’s usually for after donations to keep this from happening, but…” She laughs a little, clearly no stranger to fainting donors, and Magnus grabs a plastic bottle of orange juice and a packet of crackers - _and_ some oatmeal raisin cookies (just in case, since he has no idea what the guy likes) - before walking them over to the table next to Alec’s chair. He sets them down and then lingers, hesitating next to the bedside.

“Are you going to stay with your friend until he wakes up?” The tech asks, and Magnus only falters a few seconds before nodding.

“Yeah, I can stay.” Magnus knows he should be outside but Simon will be fine on his own for a bit. He doesn’t point out that he’s only spoken to Alec twice for a grand total of 10 seconds, let alone long enough to be his ‘friend’. But he doesn’t want him to wake up here alone, either. This was obviously what Alec was so worried about earlier, the poor guy.

So Magnus takes a minute to go pick up the papers he dropped earlier before settling in, sitting down in the chair next to the makeshift bed and sending Simon a quick text to let him know what’s happening. Simon responds back with more winking and heart-eye faces than should reasonably be in any single message, and Magnus rolls his eyes… but not without a small smile. He was very decidedly giving Alec _looks_ the other day and today, just some minor flirting, but he was almost positive there was something there in the responses he got out of Alec.

When Alec starts to stir Magnus tenses by his side. Will he even want him there when he wakes back up? Is this going to seem way too creepy, like some horror movie stalker level of ‘I was watching you sleep’ concern over a guy he didn’t even know? They already had what was probably a way-too-personal conversation outside about his sexuality and sexual activity, even if it did serve an actual purpose, and the poor guy probably wants to get as far away from him as possible…

It’s too late for those sorts of worries because Alec’s eyes flutter open and land on him with confusion, slowly trying to process what happened.

“Where am I?”

“The blood drive. Why didn’t you say you were afraid of needles?” Magnus asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, fuck.” Alec groans, trying to sit up - it’s a motion he immediately regrets, closing his eyes again quickly before laying back.

“Here,” Magnus opens the orange juice and holds it out to Alec, making sure he has a decent grip on it before letting go. “There are crackers and cookies, too. I wasn’t sure which you’d prefer.”

Alec looks surprised. “Thanks.” He takes a small sip of the juice, smiles a little, then takes another before answering Magnus’ question about the needles. “I was hoping I was over that. It’s been about a year since the last time.” Alec sighs.

The tech reappears at the sound of their voices.

“Oh good, you’re awake, and you already have some juice and food. Take your time with those and head back home whenever you’re feeling up to it, alright? No rush.” Her voice is kind and patient in a way that tells them she sees this plenty of times for it to not be even remotely surprising.

“Actually… I’d like to try again. If-” Alec starts, catching all of them by surprise by his insistence, before he turns to Magnus. “Would you stay and distract me? Just until it’s started? Then I’ll be fine, I swear.”

Magnus isn’t sure why he feels butterflies over the request, reminding himself Alec is only asking him because he’s the only one there and no other reason.

“Sure. I’ve been told I can be _quite_ distracting, so I might as well put those skills to good use,” he says with a wink, noting the way Alec bites back a laugh with success.

“If you’re positive,” the tech starts slowly. “I’ll try one more time, but if it happens again you’re done.”

Alec nods determinedly and they relocate to the chair again, with Magnus pulling a spare one over to sit across from him. He has to admire Alec’s dedication. Most people wouldn’t have even humored the idea of showing up in the first place, let alone a second attempt after passing out.

She starts to prep a spot on Alec’s left arm, and the moment Alec’s face turns towards it Magnus immediately reaches a hand out and touches his chin lightly. It’s instinctive, like dropping the papers to catch him, but this time he freezes for a moment once he realizes what he’s doing before slowly guiding Alec’s face back to look at him instead, hoping he isn’t being too out of line.

Alec doesn’t seem to mind.

In fact, he appears properly distracted by the touch to his chin, so Magnus drops his hand from Alec’s face to hold Alec’s free hand instead, rubbing small, repetitive circles onto the back of Alec’s hand with his thumb.  

“So, tell me a little about yourself, Alec. What are you studying?” Magnus isn’t shy about making eye contact, especially not when those hazel eyes are so lovely to look at.

“Are you really asking me my major? I thought you said you were distracting, not predictable.” There’s an edge to Alec’s tone but he’s clearly trying to make a joke, and Magnus laughs.

“Alright, is that how it is?” There’s a hint of challenge in Magnus’ tone. “I’d say tell me your biggest fear but I think we’ve had enough of those for one day, so…”

Alec’s gaze drifts over to his side at the thought and Magnus’ free hand is back up at his face, bringing it back over again. Maybe he welcomes the excuse to do that again a little too eagerly. “Oh no you don’t.” The tech is holding the needle now, Magnus notes, giving him a subtle motion of warning that she’s ready.

“Alright, so no boring school talk. I guess I could tell you all about how I spend my nights and weekends moonlighting as an exotic dancer, then. There is a lot of glitter, and a surprising amount of tassels. I own this one very interesting pair of assless chaps for country nights, and-”

“OW!”

Magnus feels Alec’s hand squeeze down on his with a surprising amount of strength and winces, wondering if a broken hand is worth sticking around to flirt with an impossibly handsome stranger he’ll likely never see again. He decides it is when Alec slowly releases his grip and looks at him with apologetic puppy eyes that nearly melt him on the spot.

“You’re all set, Alexander. It should only take about 10 or so minutes.”

“-Alexander?” Magnus repeats, eyebrow raised slightly.

“No one calls me that,” Alec says quickly. “It’s just Alec.”

“Pity. I quite like Alexander,” Magnus muses. “Also, for the record, I am not an exotic dancer. I just made that up to make sure I had your attention.”

“...you didn’t have to make up a story for that.” Alec’s tone is surprisingly soft, and there’s a hint of a nervous smile as he adds, “And that’s too bad because I’ve always wanted to actually _see_ a pair of assless chaps. You hear about them but no one ever _actually_ owns them.”

Magnus deadpans. “I said I wasn’t an exotic dancer, I never said I didn’t actually own a pair of assless chaps for country night.”

There’s a pause where Alec looks like he isn’t sure whether to believe him or not, and then they both start laughing.

“I can’t tell if you’re being serious” Alec admits, and Magnus takes a split-second to weigh his options before tossing caution to the wind.

“Maybe you can find out one day… though I think that’s at _least_ third date material.” He watches Alec’s expression shift at the words with a flutter of anticipation.

“You’re probably right,” Alec agrees. “Maybe… maybe we could grab coffee first, sometime? If you want?”

Magnus has no idea why Alec looks so terrified when Magnus is the one who brought the idea up in the first place but it’s still endearing.  
  
“Coffee sounds great.” Magnus agrees.

They talk a little bit more about little things - how Magnus dabbles in creative writing in his free time, how Alec’s parents wanted him to study politics but he’s currently undecided and just feeling things out, much to their horror - and before they know it the woman is back to wrap up the donation process, clearing him to leave.

Alec goes to stand - slowly this time - but pauses, looking down.

Magnus realizes he’s still holding Alec’s hand.

“Sorry,” Magnus says, quickly pulling his hand back with a light laugh. “Guess we both got a little distracted.”

Alec laughs back, and Magnus finds that he thoroughly enjoys the sound. It isn’t the first time Alec laughed during their brief conversation and he notices that it always seems slightly surprised, like Alec is caught off guard to be enjoying a moment of simple amusement. It’s a great laugh.  

With any luck, Magnus hopes, he’ll get to hear a lot more of it soon.

  


**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell) while we all hang out waiting for someone to #SaveShadowhunters ! <3)
> 
> (And find Yara [here on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blasphemous), because this is some AMAZING writing that you should definitely check out!)


End file.
